NOTE: Updated syllabus will be distributed on the first day of class
8/23/04
SOC100-401: Introduction to Sociological Research
Draft Copy (Final Copy given on First Day of Class)
Meets:
Mon/Wed 3:00-4:30, Vance B6
Instructor:
Prof. Kristen Harknett, harknett@sas.upenn.edu, 271 McNeil Building
Office Hours: Mon/Wed from 4:30-5:15 or by appointment
Course Objectives:
(1) Learn the basic principles underlying all types of social research
(2) Become familiar with a variety of methods of conducting social research
(3) Develop tools to be an intelligent consumer and critic of social research
Grading:
Four research projects (50%)
Midterm exam (15%)
Final examination (30%)
Attendance and participation (5%)
Required Books:
(1) Approaches to Social Research by Royce Singleton, Jr., Bruce C. Straits,
Fourth edition, Oxford University Press (2004). Available at Penn Bookstore.
(2) Course packet. Available at Campus Copy Center.
Course Rules:
Procedures for contesting a grade: If you disagree with a grade you received,
you may submit a written request for a review of the test question or assignment.
Written requests will be accepted during the 5-day period after you receive the
graded test or assignment. Written requests must include your argument for why
you think you should have received a different grade. Please note that grade
reviews may result in your grade being changed either up or down.
Late projects: Late projects will be accepted, but your grade on the assignment
will be lowered by 1 letter grade for each day the assignment is late. For
example, an assignment that would have earned an A if on time would receive a
B if 1 day late, a C if 2 days late, etc.
Sep 27
Oct 18
Oct 20
Nov 22
Dec 6
Dec 22?
IMPORTANT DATES
Project 1 due (10%)
Project 2 due (15%)
Midterm examination (15%)
Project 3 due (15%)
Project 4 due (10%)
Final examination (30%)
% of grade
10%
15%
15%
15%
10%
30%
1
NOTE: Updated syllabus will be distributed on the first day of class
8/23/04
PART I: FOUNDATIONS OF SOCIAL RESEARCH
Week 1
Course overview
Readings:
Syllabus
9/8
Discuss syllabus, course requirements, and course goals
In-class survey
Week 2
General Introduction: Social Research and Theory
Readings:
Singleton, Chapter 1
Durkheim, Emile. 1982. “What is a Social Fact?” Pp. 50-59 in The Rules
of Sociological Method and Selected Texts on Sociology and its
Method. New York: The Free Press.
9/13
What is sociological research and why is it important?
9/15
The role of theory in social research
Week 3
Research Design
Readings:
Singleton, Chapters 3-4
Gottlieb, Bruce. September 1, 1999. “Cooking the School Books: How
U.S. News cheats in picking its ‘best American colleges.’"
http://slate.msn.com/id/34027/
Duffy, Brian, and Peter Cary. September 7, 1999. “Dissension in the
Rankings: US News responds to Slate’s ‘best colleges’ story.”
http://slate.msn.com/id/34278/
9/20
Research Design
9/22
Measurement
PROJECT #1: Assignment based on the US News and World Report rankings.
DUE 9/27
Week 4
Sampling
Readings:
Singleton, Chapter 5
Michael, Robert T., et al. 1994. “The Sex Survey,” in Sex in America: A
Definitive Survey. Boston: Little, Brown and Compay. Chapter 2, pp.
15-41.
9/27
Sampling
9/29
Sampling
2
NOTE: Updated syllabus will be distributed on the first day of class
8/23/04
PART II: COMMONLY-USED RESEARCH METHODS
Week 5
Survey Research
Readings:
Singleton, Chapter 8-9
Schuman, Howard. 2002. “Sense and Nonsense about Surveys.”
Contexts. Summer, pp 40-47.
Read about the General Social Survey at the following web sites:
http://www.norc.uchicago.edu/projects/gensoc1.asp
http://www.norc.uchicago.edu/projects/gensoc3.asp
Assignment:
Choose a topic and write a testable hypothesis based on the General
Social Survey codebook. (More detailed instructions will be handed out in
class).
10/4
Survey Research
10/6
Survey Instrumentation
Week 6
Data Analysis and Presentation of Results
Readings:
Singleton, Chapter 14
Tufte, Edward R. 1997. “The Decision to Launch the Space Shuttle
Challenger” PP. 17-30 in Visual and Statistical Thinking: Displays of
Evidence for Making Decisions. Chesire, CT: Graphics Press LLC.
10/11 Data analysis lab and demonstration
10/13 Data analysis and presentation of results
PROJECT #2: Analysis and report using the General Social Survey
DUE 10/18
Week 7
Review and Midterm
10/18 Midterm review
10/20 In-class Midterm examination
3
NOTE: Updated syllabus will be distributed on the first day of class
8/23/04
Week 8
Public Opinion Polls and Predicting Election Results
Readings:
Freedman, David, Robert Pisani, and Roger Purves. 1998. Statistics:
Third Edition. New York: W.W. Norton & Company. Chapters 19-21.
Pp. 333-375.
Gawiser, Sheldon R. and G. Evans Witt. “Twenty Questions a Journalist
Should Ask about Poll results.” Appendix G in Earl Babbie (2004) The
Practice of Social Research: Tenth Edition. Wadsworth/Thomson
Learning. Pp. A25-A30.
10/25 Fall Break –Class does not meet
10/27 The Statistics behind Public Opinion Polls
Week 9
Evaluation Research
Readings:
Singleton, Chapter 13
1996. When Work Pays Better Than Welfare: A Summary of the SelfSufficiency Project’s Implementation, Focus Group, and Initial 18Month Impact Reports. Ottawa: Social Research and Demonstration
Corporation. http://www.srdc.org/english/publications/work.htm
11/1
Evaluation Research
11/3
Evaluation research
Week 10
Experimental Research
Readings:
Singleton, Chapter 6
Freedman, David, Robert Pisani, and Roger Purves. 1998. Statistics:
Third Edition. New York: W.W. Norton & Company. Chapters 1-2.
Pp. 3-28.
Lovaglia, Michael. 2003. “From Summer Camps to Glass Ceilings: The
Power of Experiments.” Contexts, Fall. Pp. 42-49.
11/8
Experimental research design
11/10 Experimental research design
4
NOTE: Updated syllabus will be distributed on the first day of class
8/23/04
Week 11
Qualitative Research
Readings:
Singleton, Chapter 10
Adler, Patricia A. and Peter Adler. 2003. (Spring) “The Promise and
Pitfalls of Going into the Field.” Contexts. Pp.41-47.
Edin, Kathryn, and Laura Lein. 1997. Making Ends Meet. New York:
Russell Sage. Chapter 1-2 Appendix A
Liebow, Elliot. 1967. Tally’s Corner; A Study of Negro Streetcorner Men.
Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc. Chapters 1-2 and Appendix.
11/15 Qualitative research
11/17 Qualitative research
PROJECT #3: Qualitative Research Project
DUE 11/22
Week 12
Historical/Comparative Research
Readings:
Ragin, Charles C. 1994. Constructing Social Research: the Unity and
Diversity of Method. Thousand Oaks, CA: Pine Forge Press. Chapter
5.
Useem, Bert, and Jack A. Goldstone. 2002. “Forging Social Order and
Its Breakdown: Riot and Reform in U.S. Prisons.” American
Sociological Review. 67(4): 499-525.
Weir, Margaret. 1995. "The Politics of Racial Isolation in Europe and
America." In Paul E.Peterson (ed.) Classifying by Race. Princeton
University Press. Pp. 217-242.
11/ 22 Historical/comparative research
11/ 24 Historical/comparative research
5
NOTE: Updated syllabus will be distributed on the first day of class
8/23/04
PART III: CRITICS, POLITICS, AND ETHICS OF SOCIAL RESEARCH
Week 13
Social Research in Critical Perspective
Readings:
Lieberson, Stanley. 1989. “When Right Results are Wrong.” Society.
Pp. 60-66.
Ragin, Charles. Constructing Social Research: the Unity and Diversity of
Method. Thousand Oaks, CA: Pine Forge Press. Appendix
Weber, Max. 1949. Excerpts from “’Objectivity’ in Social Science and
Social Policy” Pp. 50-63 in The Methodology of the Social Sciences.
New York: The Free Press.
Burawoy, Michael. 2004. “Public Sociologies: Contradictions, Dilemmas,
and Possibilities.” Social Forces. 82(4):1603-1618.
Tittle, Charles R. 2004. “The Arrogance of Public Sociology.” Social
Forces. 82(4):1639-1643.
Nielsen, Francois. 2004. “The Vacant ‘We’: Remarks on Public
Sociology.” Social Forces. 82(4): 1619-1627.
11/ 29 Social Research Critiques
12/1
The Debate over Public Sociology
PROJECT #4: Report summarizing the strengths and weaknesses of one of a choice of
research articles
DUE 12/6
Week 14
The Ethics of Social Research and Review for Final Exam
Readings:
Singleton, Chapter 16
12/6
The Ethics of Social Research
12/8
Final examination review
Week of 12/15 – 12/22
12/22
Final examination 8:30-10:30am
NOTE: Date and time are tentative. Confirm with instructor!
##
6